AI-Powered Mammogram Can Predict Breast Cancer Risk: EXCLUSIVE – TODAY.com

Report on AI-Driven Predictive Health Analytics and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Clairity Breast Technology

A new artificial intelligence (AI) platform, Clairity Breast, has received authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its novel application in breast cancer risk assessment. This technology represents a significant advancement in predictive health, utilizing mammogram images to generate a five-year risk score for developing breast cancer. This innovation moves beyond traditional risk assessment models, which are heavily reliant on factors like family history and genetics, thereby broadening the scope of preventative care.

• The AI platform was trained on hundreds of thousands of mammograms to identify subtle patterns indicative of future cancer development.
• It provides a risk probability score, transforming a standard diagnostic tool into a predictive instrument.
• A 2022 study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found the AI model’s predictions to be more accurate than conventional risk assessment tools.

Advancing SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The development and implementation of Clairity Breast directly contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all. Specifically, it aligns with Target 3.4: to reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment.

1. Early Risk Identification: By predicting future risk, the technology enables a proactive approach to health management, shifting the paradigm from reaction to prevention.
2. Personalized Screening Protocols: Individuals identified as high-risk can be recommended for more intensive screening, such as MRIs or contrast-enhanced mammograms, facilitating earlier detection and intervention.
3. Reduction in Mortality: This enhanced, personalized screening strategy has the potential to significantly lower mortality rates associated with breast cancer by identifying the disease at its earliest, most treatable stages.

Promoting SDG 5 and SDG 10: Gender Equality and Reduced Inequalities

This technological advancement strongly supports SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by focusing on a critical aspect of women’s health. Furthermore, it addresses SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by democratizing risk assessment beyond known hereditary factors, which account for a minority of breast cancer cases.

• Empowering Women’s Health: Improving outcomes for a disease that disproportionately affects women is a fundamental step toward ensuring their health and well-being, a cornerstone of gender equality.
• Closing Gaps in Care: The technology offers a vital risk assessment tool for the majority of women who do not have a known family history or genetic predisposition, thereby reducing inequalities in preventative care.
• Broadening Access: The stated goal of reaching as many women as possible, especially those who may not perceive themselves as being at risk, directly targets the reduction of health disparities across different populations.

Fostering SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The Clairity Breast platform is a prime example of the innovation called for in SDG 9, which encourages building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation. The technology embodies the principles of Target 9.5, which seeks to enhance scientific research and upgrade technological capabilities.

• The platform marks a revolutionary moment in medical diagnostics, showcasing the power of AI to enhance healthcare infrastructure.
• It transforms existing medical imaging equipment into dual-purpose tools for both diagnosis and prediction.
• This innovation serves as a model for applying advanced technology to solve pressing global health challenges.

Implementation Considerations and Future Outlook

While the technology presents a significant opportunity, its effective deployment requires careful consideration of clinical integration and accessibility. These factors are critical to realizing its full potential in contributing to universal health coverage, a key component of SDG 3.

1. Clinical Interpretation: Experts emphasize that the tool is for risk stratification, not definitive diagnosis. It must be used to identify individuals who require heightened surveillance, without creating a false sense of security for those with low-risk scores.
2. Patient Communication: A high-risk score does not guarantee a future cancer diagnosis, and a low-risk score does not eliminate the possibility. Proper clinical guidance is essential.
3. Accessibility and Affordability: The current out-of-pocket cost is under $200, with efforts underway to secure insurance coverage. Ensuring financial accessibility is paramount to achieving equitable health outcomes and fulfilling the promise of universal health access.

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses a new AI-powered technology for breast cancer risk prediction, which connects to several Sustainable Development Goals focused on health, innovation, and equality.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  This is the most prominent SDG addressed. The article’s entire focus is on a new medical technology, “Clairity Breast,” designed to improve breast cancer screening and predict future risk. This directly contributes to promoting health and well-being by enabling earlier and more personalized intervention for a major non-communicable disease.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  The article highlights a significant technological advancement in the healthcare industry. The development of an AI platform trained on “hundreds of thousands of mammograms” and its subsequent authorization by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) represents a “revolutionary” moment and a “paradigm shift” in medical diagnostics, which aligns with the goal of fostering innovation and upgrading technological capabilities.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article touches upon the accessibility and affordability of this new technology. The mention of its cost (“less than $200”), the ongoing effort to “get the test covered by insurance,” and the stated goal to “reach as many women as possible, especially those who don’t think they’re at risk” all relate to ensuring that innovative health solutions do not widen the gap in healthcare access and outcomes, thereby addressing the reduction of inequalities.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article, the following specific targets can be identified:

1. Target 3.4: Reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment.

   The “Clairity Breast” technology is a preventive tool. By generating a risk score that predicts “the probability that someone will develop breast cancer in the next five years,” it allows for early and targeted intervention. The article states that women with a higher risk score would be recommended for more intensive screening like “MRIs, contrast-enhanced mammograms or ultrasounds.” This proactive approach is a clear strategy for prevention and early treatment, directly contributing to the reduction of premature mortality from breast cancer, a non-communicable disease.

2. Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors.

   The article is a case study of this target in action. It describes the creation of a new AI technology resulting from extensive research, as evidenced by its training on a massive dataset of mammograms and a 2022 study in the “Journal of the National Cancer Institute” that validated its accuracy. The mention of funding from the “Breast Cancer Research Foundation” and the technology’s FDA authorization further underscore the enhancement of scientific research and the upgrading of technological capabilities within the medical diagnostics sector.

3. Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome.

   This target is relevant to the article’s discussion on the deployment of the new technology. The effort to secure insurance coverage and the goal of making the test widely available aim to ensure that access to this life-saving predictive tool is not limited by a person’s economic status. By striving to “reach as many women as possible,” the initiative works towards reducing inequalities in health outcomes, where early detection and prevention are equally available to all.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions or implies several indicators that can measure progress:

• Indicators for Target 3.4 (Reduce mortality from NCDs):

  • Accuracy of predictive models: The article explicitly states that in a 2022 study, “predictions from the Clairity model were often more accurate than traditional risk assessment tools.” This improved accuracy is a direct indicator of the tool’s potential to effectively identify at-risk individuals for better prevention.
  • Rate of high-risk identification: The ability of the tool to generate a “risk score” implies that progress can be measured by the number or percentage of women identified as high-risk who would have been missed by traditional methods.

• Indicators for Target 9.5 (Enhance research and innovation):

  • Development of new technologies: The existence and FDA authorization of “Clairity Breast” is itself a primary indicator of successful innovation in the health sector.
  • Investment in research and development: The article mentions that the “Breast Cancer Research Foundation… funded some of the research that went into Clairity,” which serves as a qualitative indicator of private R&D spending in this field.

• Indicators for Target 10.3 (Reduce inequalities):

  • Affordability and cost: The article provides a specific cost for the test: “less than $200.” This price point is a measurable indicator of its affordability.
  • Insurance coverage status: The effort to “get the test covered by insurance” is a key indicator. The percentage of insurance plans that cover the test would be a quantifiable measure of its accessibility.
  • Uptake and reach of the technology: The goal to “reach as many women as possible” implies that progress can be measured by the number of women who use the test, particularly its distribution across different socioeconomic and demographic groups.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: today.com